Cowlishaw: Stars' momentum may be overstated, but Ducks clearly have issues

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Louis DeLuca/Staff Photographer

Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) defends against a Ducks shot that hit the post in the second period during the Anaheim Ducks vs. the Dallas Stars NHL playoff game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. (Louis DeLuca/Dallas Morning News)

Columnist Tim Cowlishaw answered questions in a chat Friday. Here are some highlights.

Question: Have any of your hockey people ever said why Kari is less effective on the road? I imagine lighting and the background images in a rink make a huge difference to a goalie.

Tim Cowlishaw: That's an interesting take, I've never thought about the lighting. I would say that goalies tend to be very superstitious and creatures of habit and they can get out of sorts on the road more easily than at home. But the good ones are good anywhere, so it's up to Kari to play a big game in Anaheim. I suspect he will do that. It's hard to determine if momentum means anything in SC playoffs (I usually think the answer is no) but it seems the Stars have a little right now. They need to make use of it, it's going to be easier to win a Game 5 in Anaheim than a Game 7.

Question: Did I miss something or did the real Shawn Horcoff show up just a day or two ago?

Tim Cowlishaw: Yes, in fact he did, you are correct! What if the real Sergei Gonchar shows up next?

Question: I was fascinated by Heika's reporting of Lindy Ruff using the fourth line as a utility box. That's interesting to me. Was it similar in other Stars seasons you covered or was it more vital to keep all the lines the same for harmony and chemistry?

Tim Cowlishaw: It has been different from coach to coach. Dave Tippett certainly believed in rolling four lines as much as possible. Ken Hitchcock just believed in pairs of forwards. He kept Modano with Lehtinen. He would keep Nieuwendyk with Verbeek, things like that. He would move the third guy around depending on situations, matchups, etc.

Question: Can hockey do a better job of avoiding post whistle and post buzzer violent nonsense? I guess it motivates or sends a message, but at times it looks really stupid. Could they skate longer shifts so they don't have as much energy after play to shove sticks at each other?

Tim Cowlishaw: It's the passion of the sport you're trying to remove. It certainly doesn't bother me. The longer shifts idea is kind of funny but that will never happen. Getting shorter and shorter.

Question: Do you think that the Stars have enough momentum to actually take this series from the Ducks?

Tim Cowlishaw: I just mentioned that I think momentum in hockey can be overstated. Maybe all that's happened so far is that home teams have won home games. We'll find out tonight. But I think -- from Anaheim's standpoint -- losing Getzlaf and having goalie issues and the history of Boudreau teams fading quickly in the playoffs, all of that gets into your head. That's the momentum the Stars can build on if Benn and Seguin do what they do, the Fiddler line offers support, Kari plays well on the road for the first time, etc.

Question: But Tim, your best player could be hurt by some goon after the whistle now just for the sake of getting an edge in the series. Surely, the NHL sees that's bad for the overall product.

Tim Cowlishaw: Getzlaf got hit a lot in Game 3, I don't know for sure if he's out because of Roussel after the whistle or something else. I get your point but realistically if that one punch knocked him out for the rest of the series, then I think he was pretty vulnerable to begin with.

Question: We're starting to see what Boston saw in Tyler Seguin. Does he just not have a stomach for the rough stuff, or is he easily neutralized when a team can focus on him?

Tim Cowlishaw: Because he has a goal and an assist in a four-game series, he has been neutralized? I wouldn't go that far. At all. It's a tight series. Stats can be all over the map in the Stanley Cup playoffs. If he doesn't show up at all in Game 5 and 6, I'll consider that criticism.

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